Life's Prey
by Charlottlette
Summary: You only get one chance at happiness in a lifetime, they say. Does this hold true for Inuyasha and the one he loves, Kagome? Read and Find out!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer-Inuyasha does not belong to me.  
  
I am almost grateful in a way that the sorceress Kikyo trapped me against that tree with her celestial arrow for so many years. It gave me the time to think about the error of my ways, my selfish need to finally claim the Shikon jewel for my own to transform myself into a full demon.  
  
I blamed my family partially for this, for demanding that that I fulfill my destiny. All my life I had been told I was supposed to take over as patriach of the family once my father had died in his sleep so long ago.  
  
I was ignorant and stubborn and wished only to sacrifice others to satisfy my murderous needs. In that way, I am ashamed. I cannot begin to count how many lives I had taken in the pusuit of the treasure I sought, how many families I had destroyed in murdering their only providers. Until I met her, I had known no other way, even after we met, it took me some time to become accustomed tot he differences in our ways.  
  
Kagome. Whenever she would come from her world to be with me in mine, she and I learned a lot about each other's cultures. She lived in modern Japan, and I lived in the feudal times, where the people of my land were still trying to find their way through the world.  
  
We had both spent time in each other's world before, me in hers briefly and her in mine more so. She and I had had many adventures together and had become friends through doing so. Sometimes when we would cuddle together to sleep under the stars, I would feel her reach over to stroke my ears lovingly. I purred in spite of myself whenever she would do that. I loved her touch. She was not my mate, but I had learned from being with her that the physical aspect between two creatures was not as important as other things, like companionship and trust.  
  
"It's times like this when we're alone and your eyes are closed, Inuyasha, that you look so innocent to me, almost boyish. It makes it hard to believe all the things you've told me you've experienced have actually happened." he told me.  
  
"That is because your culture looks down on the way mine does things. I will tell you, it is frowned upon when creatures like me prey upon the weak here. Many fear that it will only be a matter of time until they are victimized too, and in a sense, they are smart to think so. Here, it is either kill or be killed. If someone doesn't try to destoy you, you have to do the same to them first. I guess in that way your culture is much more evolved than mine." I told her.  
  
"My culture is primitive in it's ways, too. My people do not as successfully mate for life as most of yours do. There is not much sense of duty in modern families." she told me.  
  
"Sometime I would like to see more of your time, Kagome. I would like to see your modern world through your eyes and really see if it would be a place I could call home just as I do this one." I told her.  
  
She snuggled close to me as I put my arm around her, sighing from my exhaustion. We had had a very long day, and I was very tired from all the efforts I had expended to be with her that day...  
  
The day had started as it usually did, with me sleeping contently in the crack of a rather large tree. Trees were my prefered resting place, there I coul shed the offending garments that I wore to cover my half-human body and scratch my back and arms against the rough bark of the plant's exterior. Sometimes in my need to satisfy my itching skin, I would rub against the tree until my skin broke, causing me to bleed a little. I would quickly lick the blood away, knowing the scent of it would make me vulnerable to predators.  
  
Feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, I opened my eyes to the morning, yawning and strtching. My first priority upon waking was to find a meal for myself. I prefered the meat of a fresh kill, but whenever I would do this with Kagome around, she would exclaim to me about how brutal it seemed to her to take a life just to satisfy my body's need.  
  
"It is only a wild boar, Kagome. It would have killed us if I hadn't killed it first." I told her, kneeling over the bloody carcass with the redness of it staining my hands and the grass beneath it.  
  
Kagome shook her head and sighed. "I guess you've already done it, so I guess it's okay, but I would prefer some fruits or vegatables for my meal instead, Inuyasha." she told me.  
  
This was not a problem for me. Normally, I would raid nearby villages and steal their produce from their small gardens, but Kagome frowned upon this. She would command me against this with the power of the prayer beads around my neck and ask me instead to climb nearby trees to fetch the items she wanted.  
  
I had to admit, she had a very good eye for the sweetest fruits and most delicious vegatables. I would gather our meal in a handful of shrubbery and take it to a nearby river in which to cleanse them. I looked up at her with widened eyes when I saw her point at me and laugh.  
  
"What's so funny?" I asked her, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.  
  
"I'm sorry. I've just never seen anyone tear into an orange, peel and all. The juice is running all over your face. It just struck me as funny." she said.  
  
I smiled, happily licking the sweet citrus from my hands and cleaning my face in the same fashion. "How are you supposed to eat them then?" I asked her.  
  
She laughed. "Well, I guess you can either peel it first and eat it that way, or you can cut it in half or fourths and eat the fruit part that way." she said.  
  
I looked at her puzzled, digging my claws into the orange's hard exterior. "Peel it first? That seems like a lot of trouble to me. Which way do you prefer?" I asked.  
  
Feeling spontanous, I didn't give her time to answer as I pulled out my sword and sliced her orange and a few other fruits she had into small pieces. Unfortunely because of this, I had also frightened her with my sudden movement.  
  
"Inuyasha! Sit!" she commanded.  
  
I instantly sat at her command and apolgized for scaring her. She thanked me for my effort to help and together we shared a nice meal. 


	2. modern world

Disclaimer-Inuyasha does not belong to me.  
  
Today, however, was different. She was not here to be shocked or repulsed by my hunting prowess, and I was in the mood for fresh meat. I sat up on my haunches and sniffed the air around me to see what my options were. My ears perked up at the sound of a small human child's shrill cry in the distance. Skulking closer to get a better view, I saw that the cry had come from a child no older than six years old that had somehow gotten seperated from it's family. I knew that Kagome would think it barberic if she were here, but if I decided to claim the small one as my prize, it would not be my first time to do so. Before the sorceress Kikyo had trapped me so long before, I had been a ruthless hunter and killer, uncaring of what kind of creature was to be the victim of my sword.  
  
Being around Kagome had eased my bloodlust some, but I found it hard to contain my natural instincts. The small human child was so young and her blood still so very pure, I almost trembled with my desire to do as I would normally.  
  
"No!" I told myself, "I do not have to shed the blood of an innocent to satisfy my own needs."  
  
Sighing and trembling from bottling up my animal urges, I settled instead on going to the nearby river and spearing a few fish with my sword. It was still meat and their blood was enough to satisfy my need.  
  
Once I had my fill, I decided to take an afternoon swim. I undressed down to just the loose tan pants I wore under my normal red attire, and dove into the water. It was turning out to be a warmer than average afternoon, and the cold water felt refreshing on my heated skin. I let my water drenched mane cascade down my back, making me shiver from the sudden coldness of it. I smiled to myself when I recalled a time I had accidently seen Kagome bathing.  
  
It was not very long after we had met, a few days after she had come back to my world from her own time. When she had returned, she had brought a small bag of strange objects with her. My natural curiousity made me want to raid this small bag that she called a purse, but as usual, she commanded me to sit and that hindered me from doing so.  
  
"I would like to take a bath without you watching me. Am I going to have to command you to sit or can I trust you not to watch me?" she asked.  
  
"Well, I will stay close to keep an eye on you, but I won't watch you, Kagome. Why are you so concerned about me watching you, anyway?" I asked.  
  
"Don't you feel uncomfortable with people seeing you undressed?" she asked.  
  
I thought about that for a moment. "No. should I feel this way?" I asked.  
  
"You've never felt sef conscious about exposing your body to others?" she asked.  
  
"I guess I've never thought about it. The only time I ever take off my clothes is when I bathe or when it gets too hot to weat them. I only really wear these clothes to protect myself from the elements." I told her.  
  
"Well, I am self conscious about my body, but I trust you, Inuyasha, if you can promise me that you will give me some privacy." she told me.  
  
In an effort to show her how honest I was being with her, I lept onto a nearby rock and got into a comfortable position where I could stand guard over her. She smiled and pulled some objects out of the purse she brought, and my nose quickly picked up a foreign scent, pleasant but very unusual.  
  
"Excuse me, Kagome, but I couldn't help but smell what you just pulled out of your purse there. What is that?" I asked.  
  
"Oh this? I brought some soap and shampoo with me from home to use." she told me.  
  
My eyes widened as I took in the sweet flowery scent of the items she held.  
  
"What is this of which you speak?" I ask.  
  
"You've never heard of soap or shampoo, Inuyasha? They're things modern people use to clean themselves with. Soap is used ont he body and comes in liquid or bar form. Shampoo is a soap-like substance you use to wash your hair. What do people in this time use?" she asked.  
  
"Well, I can't speak for others, but I usually dig into the bottom of riverbanks and use salt to clean dirt from myself." I told her.  
  
"Salt, huh? I guess that's an inventive way to get clean." she said.  
  
I smiled. "I think I like your way better." I said.  
  
My eyes widened again as I watched her from the back, shrugging off her school uniform, exposing her shoulders and back, placing the rest of her clothes on the riverbank.  
  
It was at this point that I think I understood why she would feel selfconscious. Her body was completely different from mine, not made for the rugged lifestyle I was accustomed to. Her body was soft, supple and curvy, where mine was rough and rugged. Seeing her so vulnerable this way to me brought out my most primitive instincts towards her. She was trusting me to remain in guardian mode, yet the allure of her feminity seemed to call to all my senses. My breath caught in my throat as I forced myself to turn just enough away so not to be tempted by her.  
  
"Inuyasha, are you okay up there?" she asked.  
  
I looked down at her again, her body concealed by the water, her head covered with the shampoo she had spoken of.  
  
"Yes. I'm still here, Kagome. Do not linger too long in your bathing, it is not wise in this enviroment." I told her.  
  
"Thank you, Inuyasha." she said.  
  
  
  
It had been a couple days since she had returned from her own time to visit me and I had to admit I actually missed her. She brought a sense of serenity into my hostile world and I was grateful for that. Sensing I had spent way too long in my leisure in the water, I quickly rinsed the dirt from my face and changed back into my normal attire. I lept into a nearby tree at the sound of a intruder close by, sword in hand.  
  
"Who's there? Show yourself." I shouted.  
  
"Inuyasha, is that you?" a voice called.  
  
I sighed with relief. It was Kagome.  
  
"Yes, it's me. Good afternoon, Kagome." I said.  
  
"Good afternoon, Inuyasha. I've come with a surprise to show you." she said.  
  
"A surprise?" I asked.  
  
I lept down from the tree to land in fron t of her in a graceful display. She was dressed simply in a dark blue tank top and short matching pleated skirt. Her cute outfit offset her dark hair wonderfully, and she smelled as delightfully flowery as always.  
  
"Yes. I thought since you've only been to my time a few times and only really seen the inside of my grandparents' home, I thought I would bring you pictures from home to show you how truly different our times are." she said.  
  
"Pictures? Is that like some sort of painting from your time?" I asked.  
  
She smiled. "Well, we do have paintings, yes, but these are pictures that humans take of people or places that they enjoy or want to remember." she said.  
  
"I've only seen a few paintings in my time, in homes that I used to raid a long time ago. They were very nice, but paled in comparison to the real thing." I told her.  
  
"Then you would be disappointed with what modern people have done to your beautiful land in the future. Here, look for yourself." she told me.  
  
I looked at the shiny pieces of paper she placed in my hands and gasped. It looked like the same area we were in now, only it had been covered by buildings larger than any I had ever seen, and covered with something she called concrete roads.  
  
"Why did your people change everythign so much?" I asked her.  
  
"It's always been that way ever since I was born. Most would have prefered to leave the land unspoiled like you know it so well, but others develop the land to make money or provide homes for others." she said.  
  
"I've heard of money before, that's what humans trade with each other for goods and services. Anything I've ever needed I've found in the wild. I guess my needs are simpler than the people of your time." I said.  
  
"Well myself, personally, my time and yours are both wonderful in their own ways. Here in yours, I get to experience life in it's most natural state, through your eyes and by being with you. In my time, I have my family and the thought that I might eventually be able to show you more of it. I know it probably looks intimidating from the pictures, but with you, it would be like paradise for me." she said.  
  
I smiled then, almost overcome by the sweet sentiment she expressed to me. I wondered if she knew what her words meant to me. I didn't have time to ponder that question for long when she walked over ot me and embraced me warmly. It was like a friendly hello embrace, and I returned her affection, burying my face in her dark hair. I felt her smile and stroke my long hair lovingly before she parted from me.  
  
"What was that for?" I asked.  
  
She blushed. "I guess it was because it has been a couple days since I've seen you." she said. 


	3. time together

Disclaimer-Inuyasha does not belong to me. That explanation was good enough for me and I smiled, giving her back her photographs. I decided to take her for a walk through the forest, the two of us pointing at birds that flew overhead and tasting berries I cut from bushes with my sword. She laughed out loud when I told her that I had heard about female villagers grinding up the berries to use as facepaint to entice potiential mates.  
  
"I guess that makes sense that they would do that. Women in my time use a similiar method to do that, but we call it makeup and it's more used to make someone feel prettier than to entice mates." Kagome said.  
  
"I personally have always thought that was pointless. Most men in my time choose their mates based on their scent and ability to bear them children." I said.  
  
"In my time, there are women and even couples who chose to remain childless on purpose just because they don't want to have children." Kagome said.  
  
"Once I chose my mate, I definitely want to have children with her so I can carry on my family bloodline. The only reason I haven't done so already is because of the Shikon Jewel." I told her.  
  
"I want children someday myself, but not right away. I think I would be happiest just being with someone that I love and that loves me." she said.  
  
"I'm sure you wouldn't need to worry about any of those concerns. As lovely as you are and as nice as you smell, you could never have a hard time finding a mate." I said.  
  
She smiled. "You think I smell nice?" she asked.  
  
"Creatures of my sort are very sensitive to scent, and your body scent is so different from any of the females I have been around in my time. I like it very much; it's very natural, yet it has hints of the beautiful things that remind me of you when I smell them." I said.  
  
It was her turn to blush furiously at my words. "Oh Inuyasha, you never cease to amaze me with the things you say to me. I never would have known when we first met that you would be so incredibly endearing." she said.  
  
I almost cringed when she said that, knowing I'd never be able to take back how badly I had treated her when she had released me from my bondage. If not for her, I would still be pinned tot he tree where Keikyo had left me so long ago.  
  
"I also came to extend an invitation ro you, Inuyasha. I was hoping you would come back with me to my time for a couple days and spend some time with me. What do you think?" she asked.  
  
I smiled. "I would love to do that, Kagome." I said.  
  
From where we were in the woods, we made our way back to the well that was the crossing point between our two times. Under normal circumstances, it would be a regular dry well that people used as a place to dispose of their fallen enemies, but somehow with her magic, she was able to transform it into much more. This would be the first time I had spent a considerable amount of time there with her, and I was looking forward to it.  
  
I don't think Kagome expected it to be nighttime when she and I finally arrived back in her time. It was obvious that her physical being had known, however, based on how tired she seemed to get once we got there.  
  
"It's already almost midnight, Inuyasha. I wanted to show you around the city, but now I guess it'll have to wait. I guess as long as we're quiet and don't wake up my family, we can stay here until tomorrow morning, unless you want to do something else." she said.  
  
"No. We can stay here. It's pleasantly warm and unoffensive." I told her.  
  
"Okay. Well, I'm going to go change for bed and I'll be right back." she said.  
  
I took her leave of absense as a chance to investigate al that was around me. Her home was built in the style of some of the fancier huts I had seen the natives build in my time, with very little furniture and a futon mattress spread out onto the floor.  
  
The object that got my attention was a fairly sized black box sitting atop a table, covered with all kinds of silver buttons. I knelt before it to sniff it and found it had no odor. I decided to press a couple of it's buttons and that's when the creature came to life with a loud roar, loud enough to wake the dead. I jumped back with a loud shout and pulled out my sword.  
  
"Die, miserable beast!" I shouted.  
  
"Inuyasha! Sit!" Kagome shouted.  
  
Once again, under her command, I hit the floor, defenseless under the control of the animal I had just unleashed. What surprised me was that Kagome calmly reached out and turned off the horrible wailing of the monster.  
  
"Kagome...how did you do that?" I asked her.  
  
"It's not alive, Inuyaha. It's called a stereo, a machine that plays music. You just turned it on, that's all." she said.  
  
I laughed nervously. "Of course, I knew that! I just didn't like that song, that's all." I said.  
  
I couldn't help but notice what she had changed into. She had wrapped herself in a very warm looking floral flannel nightgown. She looked even more attractive than usual, even if it did conceal her body more than some of the other outfits she had worn before.  
  
"Well, I had a bath this morning, but you're welcome to take one if you like." she told me.  
  
It did sound inviting, even if I was unsure of how I would do that in this unfamiliar terriotory. She seemed to sense my uneasiness. and asked me to remove my sword so she could show me how to go about it.  
  
She took me by the hand and led me into her bathroom, a small, confined area within her home. She explained all the modern contraptions in the room; the sink was her time's version of the small wooden basins people would use to gather water, the toilet, which was used for obvious reasons. I found I kinda liked her way of doing it to the extent of playing with the handle until she had to tell me to sit again. Lastly was the bathtub and faucets in which she could call hot or cold water at her command.  
  
"To take a abth, we fill this tub with water, then abthe ourselves just as you do in your time, only with those substances I used before." Kagome said.  
  
"The soap and shampoo, I remember." I told her.  
  
"I'll run your bath if you want and even wash your back since you said you weren't ashamed of your body." she said.  
  
I smiled at her. "I'm sure it could use it. I can't really wash back there." I said.  
  
That's when I noticed she hadn't let go of my hand. I could feel her pulse thudding away under my fingers, and it was obvious that she didn't mind holding my hand anymore than I minded her holding it. I stared right into her eyes for a moment and had to fight the urge to take her into my arms and kiss her passionately the way I wanted to. She broke our silence by embracing me warmly, stroking my hair gently. I couldn't let her know how much I liked that; the intensity of my feelings for her frightened even me.  
  
"Your heart is racing, Inuyasha. You definitely need a bath to help you relax." she said.  
  
"I completely agree." I choked out.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	4. a massage

Disclaimer-Inuyasha does not belong to me. Yes, I had to remove this story and repost it because of errors made by myself, but I am thrilled with the reviews I've recieved. Thank you very much! On with the story!  
  
I shrugged off the outer parts of my heavy costume in preparation for the bath. She sprinkled some white powder intot he tub as it filled up, tellinf me it was to relieve any itches I might have, if any, before she remembered my claws were good for that sort of thing.  
  
"If they weren't so long, I'd have you scratch me with them sometime." she said.  
  
"I'd never intentionally hurt you, Kagome, not now that we're friends." I told her.  
  
She smiled when I told her that and told me the bath was done. She walked to the door to leave to give me some privacy, but I grabbed her wrist.  
  
"You don't have to leave. I'm not uncomfortable if you're not, besides, I don't exactly know how to use all this fancy stuff." I said.  
  
She blushed a little, but stayed so I would be more comfortable. She closed her eyes as I finished undressing to slip into the steaming water. I sighed as I allowed the warmth to wash over me; this was so much better than some of the blistering ice baths I had had to take before.  
  
I could see why she favored this way of doing it. I watched as she left me for a moment and came back with a small bowl in which she said she would use to rinse me with. I thought about dunking my head underneath the water to get it wet, but I decided to let her do instead. I took in her sweet scent as she bent over me to gently pour water over my head to drench my hair, her long fingers sweeping through my long mane to prepare it for the shampoo.  
  
The shampoo she used was less flowery than some others she had used before, but still very pleasant. I gave in and purred against my better judgement as she lovingly washed my hair and then my back as well.  
  
"Thank you, Kagome." I choked out.  
  
She smiled. "I thought of something nice I could do for you to help you sleep so you won't be uncomfortable here. I can give you a massage when you get out if you want." she said.  
  
"A massage?" I asked.  
  
She blushed again. "Yes. You've been so nice to me for so long, I guess I want to return the favor, plus I have some really nice eculyptus lotion I've been wanted to use for awhile." she said.  
  
"That would be nice, Kagome, and I'll return the favor if you want too." I said.  
  
For the remander of the bath, she sat and watched me as I cleaned myself, the two of us familiar enough with each other not to worry about being so close to each other. I noticed her look at me with curiousity when I washed my lower body, trying her best not to stare. I wasn't embarrassed, I didn't mind her checking out my physique. It was true that I was of average height with a slender build, but I was fairly built from my rugged lifestyle and had only been close to a few of the opposite sex in my lifetime.  
  
None of them had ever made me feel the way Kagome does; I had to reign myself from revealing my physical need for her as I got out of the bath, shook myself off and got dressed to the waist. Kagome came up behind me and wrapped a towel around me, drying my shoulders and then my hair. She was so gentle with me, yet got the job done throughly. Her gentle touches were the second of my weaknesses, I found them as hard to resist as she was.  
  
She led me into her bedroom and asked me to lay down on her futon mattress while she retrieved her massage lotion. What was funny was that I was actually a little nervous about what she was about to do to me. I forced myself to try to relax and allowed my stiff shoulders to rest. She came back in and smiled at me, taking in the slope of my exposed back. I had thrown my hair to the side to allow her better access and this seemed to please her. I wasn't sure how to respond as she sat down on the bed next to me.  
  
"I can either kneel beside you and do this or I can sit on your hips, that's up to you." she said.  
  
"Whichever way is easiest for you, Kagome." I said.  
  
She smiled and straddled my hips, increasing our contact by having to pull up her nightgown up to her knees. I had felt her body heat before when we had held each other for warmth as we slept, but it had been nothing like this. I could feel the soft skin of her inner thighs brsuhing up against my exposed midsection. I felt her lean towards me a little and begin to smooth on the lotion. I yelped and arched my back from the sudden coldness of it.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry, Inuyasha, I thought I had warmed it up for you." she said.  
  
"I'm sorry too, it was just unexpected. Please continue." I said.  
  
At my words, she proceeded to continue what she had been doing, her gentle, feminine fingers easing my tense neck and shoulders into submission. I couldn't help myself; I was purring loudly now and I didn't care if she heard me or not. I loved the way she took her time rubbing in the lotion, carressing all my weary muscles, she seemed to be enjoying it as much as I was. Again I would catch her enticing body scent and it would rive me wild with desire for her. I was just glad that I was laying on my stomach because she would have been shocked otherwise.  
  
"Are you asleep, Inuyasha?" she asked.  
  
"No. Should I be?" I asked.  
  
She smiled. "I guess I've heard that people usually fall asleep during massages because they feel so relaxed." she said.  
  
"Well, I definitely feel relaxed, but I can't imagine how anyone could fall asleep if you were touching them, Kagome." I told her.  
  
She was silent then, unsure of how to respond. I sat up and faced her, hoping that smiling at her would make her feel less anxious.  
  
"I can return the favor if you want." I told her.  
  
She thought about it for a moment before she agreed to let me do it. She asked me to avert my eyes as she shrugged off her nightgown and put on a short skirt to cover herself below the waist. She held a blanket against her chest so not to expose herself to me.  
  
I smiled, hoping she would relax a little and took the lotion from her. This concept was a little foreign to me, so I timidly opened the top and only squeezed out a little of the creamy substance. I rubbed it into my own hands to warm it first, slowly easing it onto her bare shoulders.  
  
I had to stifle a groan when she responded to my touch, her dark hair sweeping away from her neck. My hands unconsciously went there to carress her, my long claws grazing her soft pink skin.  
  
I saw goosebumps begin to rise all over her and I began to rub her vigourously in case it was from being cold. Returning to her neck, I could feel her pulse thudding away against my fingers and I wanted so desperately to kiss her there. I decided to give in halfway to my urge and I felt her take in her breath when she felt my breath there. I couldn't help but notice her grip on the blanket had loosened a little and I could see just a glimpse of her trembling chest. Her scent was sending me all the signals to become one with her, and my excitement because of this was becomign painfully evident.  
  
"Why did you stop, Inuyasha? That felt really good." she told me.  
  
I was embarrassed at my own overwhelming urges for her, unable to speak. She turned and faced me then, concern in her eyes. She reached out and touched my face, my gold eyes looking up into her soulful ones. I don't think she even had any idea how she affected me, her small gesture touched me so deeply.  
  
"Kagome..." I whispered.  
  
I could resist her no longer. I closed the space between us by leaning in towards her and brushing my lips against hers. She seemed a little startled at first, but returned the kiss, her soft lips pressing against mine. I saw her begin to blush as we finally parted.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you." I told her.  
  
"It's okay. You didn't embarrass me, I just didn't expect you to do that." she said.  
  
she stood then and retrieved her discarded nightgown, returning to sit down beside me. She smiled and rested her head agianst my arm, her fingers playing with the ends of my hair.  
  
"Thank you for the massage, Inuyasha. I have to admit that I had goosebumps all over while you were doing that." she said.  
  
I smiled. "Really?" I asked.  
  
She blushed again. "You always make me feel that way, Inuyasha. That's why I didn't mind you kissing me." she said.  
  
It was my turn to blush this time. "I don't know what to say, Kagome." I said.  
  
She smiled. "Then don't say anything at all." she told me. 


	5. inuyasha

Disclaimer-Inuyasha does not belong to me.  
  
It was she that kissed me this time, my arms winding around her to pull her closer to me. I was finding it extremely hard to breathe, feeling her warm body pressed against mine. It was obvious that she wanted me as much as I wanted her, but I did not want to rush into anything and scare her away from me. I had been curbing my urges towards her for so long, I was afraid I would lose control. Still I wanted to kiss her senseless, let her know how much I really wanted her. She sighed as she embraced me.  
  
"I am so tired, Inuyasha. If I asked you to hold me while I slept, would you be offended if we didn't do more?" she asked.  
  
I smiled. "Of course not. Just being close to you is good enough for me." I told her.  
  
She took my hand as we laid down on her futon mattress together, pulling the blankets over us. She laid with her back to me, curling up close to me. I couldn't resist the urge to want to to touch her all over, even though I knew I would stop if she resisted. I brushed her hair away from the back of her neck and inhaled her delicate scent there.  
  
She giggled a little, but seemed to like it. This only encouraged me, as I ran my hands down her curves to move towards her upper body. She sighed again contently as I carressed her, feeling her body respond to my touch.  
  
I decided to venture lower, pulling up her nightgown to her mid thighs. She squirmed a little when I did that, and pressed up hard against me. I had to suppress a feral moan from her action, my fingers exploring the softness of her inner thighs. I could feel her heat calling out to me and I gingerly ran my fingers against her there, barely touching her.  
  
"Inuyasha..." she whispered.  
  
She turned to face me then, easing her arms around me. I could not contain my desire for her now; I loved this woman and wanted to make love to her desperately. It seemed like this was what she wanted to, as she sat up for a moment to take off her nightgown, revealing herself completely to me.  
  
I wasted no time touching her all over, kissing and licking in all the places I had dreamed of for so long. She moaned softly when I licked her breasts with my rough tongue, taking them into my mouth to please her even more. I was only wearing my loose tan pants, but they did not last very long.  
  
I eased them off down my weary legs, our exposed bodies moving against each other in such delightful ways. Her breath caught in her throat as she came to full realization of how much I desired her, and she gingerly reached down between us to touch me.  
  
I, however, had different plans for her. I smiled at her as I moved over her to ease her onto her back. As she stared at me, wondering what I would do next, I took a moment to admire her beauty completely before I bent down and kissed her flat stomach, making her giggle again. She reached up and weaved her hands into my long hair as I kissed her again, losing myself in the sensation of her.  
  
My next destination was below her waist, to savor the pure sweetness and warmth of the one I loved. I could not resist; it was the heart of her desire and I wanted desperately to be a part of that with her.  
  
She sighed and gasped softly as I did so, watching her grasp her blankets tightly. By the time I was through, she was very wet and whimpering for me to do more. I too, was throbbing desperately from wanting her, and moved over her to press myself against her.  
  
She arched her hips up to encourage me, and I most certainly could not refuse her. She cried out loud as I finally entered her, her passion threatening to consume me just from doing so. I had never wanted a woman as I wanted Kagome this day; I kissed her tenderly and leaned against her as we made, slow sweet love to each other that night, like we had been lovers all along...  
  
To Be Continued... 


	6. breakfast

Disclaimer-Inuyasha does not belong to me. author's note- I'm sorry my chapters are so short. It takes me a while to type this stuff and my fingers get tired, but I promise I will update as quickly as possible to make up for that. Thanks!  
  
I've had very few servents in my time that I've felt like I could trust or even tolerate for that matter. I was far from patient with anyone I commanded; I expected complete submission and nothing less than that. My newest slave, a lowly mouthbreather named Toshshyl, feared me more than any others I'd ever had. I wanted that; I wanted him to fear me, to fear my all consuming wrath. I was not one to be crossed.  
  
The one that incurred most of my wrath was my despicable younger haf-demon brother Inuyasha. He was not worthy to carry the blood of our demon clan. to call himself a warrior of the elements.  
  
What made Toshshyl's existance worthwhile to me was that he knew my agenda, my never ending quest. I wanted to torture and destroy my brother slowly, make him suffer before I took his last breath and bathed myself in his thick red blood. He had been carry ing out my commands for many months now, setting traps and obstacles for Inuyasha and his human companion.  
  
The fact that he would even associate with an acursed human was enough to make me despise him. It would probably be different if she had been the first human he had kept comapny with, or if he was somehow just keeping her around as an emergency food source. I could tell that this was not so; she was much too thin and muscular to be a good meal. It was much more obvious that he coveted this young woman, that he wished to make her his mate.  
  
This alone made him undeserving to be the leader of our clan. That honor instead should have belonged to me, a demon of full power. Thinking of this now did nto change our circumstances; only Toshshyl and I could do that by eliminating them, both Inuyasha and his raven haired human Kagome...  
  
  
  
The next morning, I woke up with Kagome cuddled up beside me, the two of us still undressed from the night before. I made no serious effort to wake her, I just smiled to myself, lightly running my fingers down from her shoulders to her lower back.  
  
She murmured a little in her sleep, noticing again how quickly she could excite me. As much as I desired her, however, I knew she had other plans for us today and I was as eager to do these things as she was. What I didn't expect was that about the time I decided to fall back asleep in my lover's arms, we were greeted by her startled younger brother Sota.  
  
"Why are you sleeping next to my sister?" he asked as I looked up at him.  
  
"I invited him to stay with me, Sota, and you shouldn't be barging into my bedroom anyway." Kagome said.  
  
"What are you doing in here?" I asked Sota.  
  
He snorted at me. "For your information, our grandfather told me to deliever a pair of shoes to my sister for you specifically in case you ever decided to visit again." Sota said.  
  
"Shoes? Why on earth would I wear such things?" I asked.  
  
"It's customary in my time, Inuyasha, to wear shoes when you're in public. Our time is a lot more dangerous as far as land obstacles go. You can cut yourself very easily without them, and people look at you funny otherwise." Kagome said.  
  
I snorted. "I suppose I would get the same reaction if I carried my sword around then too." I said.  
  
Sota smiled. "With your strength, I doubt it would be needed in our time. You've already proven you can defend my sister from harm." he said.  
  
"Go downstairs and tell Mom and Grandpa that we'll join them shortly for breakfast, okay?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Okay." Sota said.  
  
Once he left, Kagome turned to me and smiled, embracing me. Her sweet youthful body felt so good and warm nestled against mine, especially with the blanket barely seperating us. She reached up to give me a tender kiss, which I allowed myself to fall into for a few moments before pulling away with a groan.  
  
"I am looking forward to exploring your world with you today, Kagome." I told her.  
  
She smiled. "Me too. Give me a minute to get dressed and we can join the others." she said.  
  
Once she left, I too got dressed, settling on wearing my regular tan and red pants, and just the tan shirt. I decided for Kagome's sake that I would wear the shoes her family had provided for me. I had to admit that they were fairly comfortable, and matching my outfit accordingly. I smiled as my love finally rejoined me, wearing a long black sweater over a short black skirt. She had put her hair up and looked as lovely as always. The scent of breakfast downstairs beckoned to both of us.  
  
"You ready, Inuyasha?" she asked.  
  
I smiled and nodded, taking her offered hand. She led me downstairs where her family were preparing the table with various food items.  
  
"Ah, Inuyasha. Sota told us that you and Kagome would be joining us this morning. We made plenty; take however much you want." her mother said.  
  
I glanced at al that was before me. All the scents were familiar, but were in forms I had never seen before. There was a pile of yellowish mush in one bowl, some sort of stacked bread with squares on it in another, and a plate with what I assumed to be meat on another.  
  
"What are you waiting on, Inuyasha? Do you want me to make a plate for you?" Kagome asked.  
  
I didn't want to look unimformed in front of her family, so I grabbed a nearby bottle of some sort of dark liquid and poured it onto my hands.  
  
"Inuyasha! You're not supposed to use that like that!" Kagome exclaimed.  
  
I sniffed the sticky substance and tasted it. "Why not? This stuff is really good! What is it?" I asked.  
  
"That's maple syrup and it's to put on your waffles, not your hands." Kagome laughed.  
  
"Waffles? Are those that square bread stuff?" I asked.  
  
She laughed again. "Yes. Those are waffles, and those are scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon. Here, let me help you out here." she said.  
  
I was content to finish licking the syrup from my hands until she handed me a plateful of food. I trusted her enough to know that she would not tempt me with anything that didn't taste good, so I inhaled the meal quickly. It seemed like she was as hungry as I was, and rushed to grab her things afterwards so we could get a start on our day. 


	7. a trip to the mall

Disclaimer-Inuyasha does not belong to me.  
  
"So, how aew we going to get to this mall of which you speak?" I asked.  
  
"I can borrow my grandfather's motorbike, it's like a motorized bicycle, so it makes a lot of noise when I turn it on, okay?" she teased.  
  
"You need not warn me of such things. You're talking to an ages old half demon who has share of noisy beasts in his time. I only attacked your stereo because of the foul music it was playing; I did not wish for you to be offended by it's sound." I told her.  
  
"That was very thoughtful of you, Inuyasha. Thank you." she said.  
  
She reached out to take my hand and squeezed it. I smiled at her as we walked out together to her family's garage where the large metal creature awaited us.  
  
"The people of your time are very fond of metal objects, I see." I said.  
  
"I've never really thought about it much, but I guess you're right. Here, you'll need this." she said.  
  
She handed me some kind of contraption that she called a helmut, a modern type of headdress she said was to protect my head from injury in case we had an accident on the motorbike. She looked capable enough to manuever the heavy vehicle, but I donned the costume anyway for her sake.  
  
Together, she and I straddled the seat like it was a horse, my arms wrapping around her waist tightly as she started up the engine. I wanted to lose myself in the feeling of her in my arms, but I knew she needed me to be alert while she was taking us to our destination. Thankfully it did not take us long to get there, to a place larger than any I had ever seen before. Again it was partially metal and some glass, the size of a king's palace. There were many vehicles that she called cars parked about before this giant building with no one in them.  
  
"These cars...do they carry all these people to this place we are going to?" I asked.  
  
"Definitely. They are considerably more people now than there were in your time. I believe the world's population is over a billion people by now." she said.  
  
"A billion?! They're not all here now, are they?" I asked.  
  
She laughed. "No. They're in different places, all over the world. Are you ready to go in, Inuyasha?" she asked.  
  
I sighed and nodded. "I just wish I had my sword so I could protect you better." I said.  
  
She smiled. "I always feel safe with you, Inuyasha, no matter what." she told me.  
  
It always seemed that she knew exactly what to say to completely disarm me, and it was almost a relief not to have to be in complete guardian mode over her.  
  
We entered the building through a very quiet area where our voices would echo if we spoke too loudly. The only time that had ever happened to me before was up in the mountains in my own time, looking over the majestic scenery. This mall, as she called it, was very impressive in size, but it made me homesick for my own time.  
  
"Are you okay, Inuyasha? You look sad." Kagome said.  
  
I smiled at her. "Yes, I was just distracted. I was thinking about home and how truly different our times are." I said.  
  
She nodded, understanding completely. We came to a stop in front of a pair of silver metal doors.  
  
"What are we waiting on?" I asked.  
  
"Oh! We're waiting on the elevator. An elevator is like this little room that moves with people inside it to transport you to higher levels in a building." she said.  
  
"It moves? Is it sturdy? Can it hold a lot of people?" I asked.  
  
"Well, most elevators have weight limits, but I've seen them hold up to ten people before. Every once in awhile, an elevator has to be repaired, but for the most part, they're well made. Here it comes." she said.  
  
I followed her into the opening doors, where they prompted shut after us. I watched her press a few buttons and then the room lurched in an effort to begin moving. It lurched again once it arrived on our floor as she called it, and we stepped out onto the mall in question, my eyes taking in all the sights around me. There were many people wandering about holding bags, little rooms that held goods of various sorts and there were plants and trees planted in different locations all over.  
  
"What do you think?" she asked.  
  
"It's breathtaking...not like it is in my time, but still awe inspiring in it's own way." I told her.  
  
She smiled and took my hand again, leading me around to different shops within the mall. One of the places we stopped in was a store that sold trinkets to wear in your hair and on your body, her taking a moment to admire a set of austrian crystal bracelets. She explained that they were something she called costume jewerly, but she still thought they were beautiful, and I had to agree when I saw how much they sparkled and shimmered. She reminded herself to come back for them later, and we explored some other places.  
  
I could not resist the lure of a store adorned with many fragrant bottles of products that I had smelled many times on Kagome, and it seemed as though the workers there became enamored with me from the minute I walked in.  
  
"What is such a handsome young man doing in a place like this? Are you buying a gift for your girlfriend? Isn't he handsome, girls?" one asked.  
  
"You have such beautiful silver hair; how did you get it to grow out so long? I can never get mine to grow very long." another said.  
  
"If I had money, I would buy my lover a gift here, but she is the one that has money to spend." I told them.  
  
"You made some admirers back there, Inuyasha." Kagome giggled.  
  
"They all pale in comparsion to you, Kagome." I said.  
  
She blushed at my comment and let me into the largest store yet, walking up to a flight of stairs that were actually moving.  
  
"What is this?" I asked.  
  
"This is an escalator. It's kinda like an elevator, but you hold on to the rail as it moves and step off at the top." she said.  
  
"Sounds pretty simple." I said.  
  
Thankfully it was as simple as it looked, and we made our way to the second floor where we were tempted by the smells of many different kinds of food.  
  
"There are a lot of hunters here today. It smells like they've already slaughtered and cooked their prey." I said.  
  
"That's another way our times work differently, Inuyasha. People here don't hunt for food, they keep farms where they raise livestock to sell to others to make food for others. People like me go into places like this and order whatever we prefer to eat." she said.  
  
"So the whole concept of hunting is nonexistent now? We have farms in my time too, but still..." I began.  
  
"Well, there are people out there that hunt, but it's become much less necessary for survival nowadays. What would you like to try?" she asked.  
  
"It's your day, Kagome. You decide." I said.  
  
After much consideration, she dcided upon a sushi place, ordering a serving of sushi big enough for two. I was delighted with her choice, I loved raw fish and the mixture of the rice, seaweed and fresh avocado was exactly what I seemed to have been craving.  
  
She poured a little soy sauce on the treats, and then I made the mistake of ingesting way too much wasabe, thinking it was the mashed avacado.  
  
"I thought sure with your superior sense of smell you would have known better." Kagome laughed.  
  
"It's hard for me to concentrate on any scent but yours when you're around, Kagome." I told her.  
  
She blushed at my words and smiled. Watching her as she ate and remembering fondly the night before, it only reminded me of how much I truly loved her. I had no doubt about my feelings now and no reason to hide them anymore. She had willingly given herself to me the night before and I felt an even stronger connection to her than ever.  
  
I watched as she stood up and walked back over to the counter, ordering a cup of some sort of warm liquid with a gob of something white inside. I cocked an eyebrow at her.  
  
"What is that?" I inquired.  
  
"It's hazelnut coffee flavored with half a scoop of ice cream. Do you want to try it; it's really good." she told me.  
  
By now, I felt like I could trust her judgement, so I only took a quick sniff of her drink before taking a big gulp for myself. It was hot and cold at the same time, the bitterness of the coffee mixing nicely with the sweetness of the substance within.  
  
She giggled; I had gotten some on my upper lip. I licked it off quickly, laughing as well. "What is this sweet creamy stuff?" I asked.  
  
"Ice cream. It's a frozen treat made from cow's milk. I like to use it to flavor my coffee." she said.  
  
"I can see why; it's very bitter even with the ice cream. Why would people drink such a concotion? Does it give you some kind of special power?" I asked.  
  
She laughed again. "You could say that. It has caffeine, an artifical stimulant that gives people a short burst of energy when they need it. I only got it because I just felt like drinking something warm." Kagome said.  
  
"So, what do you want to do now..." I began, just before I noticed that the necklace she wore made from the shards of the Shikon jewel was glowing a bright fushcia.  
  
"What is it, Inuyasha?" she asked.  
  
"The jewel, Kagome, it's glowing." I told her.  
  
Her mouth dropped open as she looked down and saw it was true, touching her pendant with her hand.  
  
"You're right. Inuyasha, the prayer beads...they're glowing too! What is going on here?" she asked.  
  
I stood up then, feeling suddenly defenseless without my sword close at hand.  
  
"Come on Kagome, come with me. We need to go back to my time. Perhaps there's an answer as to why this is happening." I told her. 


	8. a confrontation

Disclaimer-Inuyasha does not belong to me.  
  
She wasn't quite sure how to respond, but nodded in agreement and took my hand as she led us back to the parking lot to leave. As we rode the motorbike back to her home, I had to stiffle the urge to dig my claws into her stomach out of my anxiousness to find out what was going on.  
  
My mother had told me when I was a child that the only time that magical items would flash their powers without hesitation was when there was forces contrary to their magic close by. Whatever that was that was drawn to our necklaces, I refused to let them take away the jewel that I had worked so long to own.  
  
What I didn't understand was why the prayer beads were glowing too. They had only done so the day Kaede had used her magic to bestow them upon me, and my theory most certainly had to apply to this as well. Perhaps I can find out who created this wicked prision for me, to enslave me to my human lover even if I did care very much for her now.  
  
I wasted no time making my way to the well in her backyard, stopping for a moment to make sure she was okay. She had dressed warmly in case it was cold, and had packed a coiple changes of clothes in a small bag. She looked apprehesive as she attempted to hide the jewel from curious eyes.  
  
"Kagome, look at me for a minute, please." I told her.  
  
She shivered a little. "Yes, Inuyasha?" she asked.  
  
"Please don't be afraid, okay? I promise whatever it is out there, I will not allow it to harm either one of us. I will find out what the deal is without allowing any harm to come to you, Kagome. I love you." I said.  
  
She smiled then and threw herself into my arms. "I love you too, Inuyasha! I trust you completely." she said.  
  
I wrapped my arms around her as I pulled us onto the brick opening of the well. "Then let's not waste any more time. Let's go." I said.  
  
I barely felt her grip tighten on me as I lept with her intot he well, leaving her world and reentering my own. I kept her close to me to shield her as I took a moment to survey my surroundings.  
  
It was quiet. Too quiet; it made me very nervous. I forced her to crouch down near some shrubbery while I took inventory of all the scents around me. All the familiar ones were there, the smell of flowers, trees, plants and the earth below...yet there was another scent too.  
  
The scent of evil, of a very powerful magic, the smell of a very toxic poison...I knew of only one that smelled like that. There was no mistaking it; I had grown up with that smell...  
  
I flashbacked on a time when I was a child and was trying unsuccessfully to emulate my full demon father by shapeshifting into a wolf like he could do.  
  
"Useless heathen; you lack the powers and skill to do such a thing, Inuyasha. Even I cannot begin to fathom such thoughts, little brother." a voice said.  
  
"Why do you always have to be so mean, Sesshomaru? Just because I'm not a full demon like you and our father doesn't mean that I'm not as good as you." I said.  
  
Sesshomaru snorted. "You could never be as good as either of us, little brother. The fact that you even have human blood in you to begin with makes you unworthy of our family." he said.  
  
Those thoughts only fueled my inner fire more so, bringing it to a boiling point. Even Kagome seemed frightened of me in this state; it was like I completely forgot who I was, giving in to my anger. I was seeing red; if it was true that my brother Sesshoumaru was to blame for our items activating, then there had to be a reason for it.  
  
"I know you are here, Sesshoumaru, I can sense your presense. If you want a confrontation, then let's just do this quickly. I have much more pressing matters to attend to." I shouted out to the darkness.  
  
"I'm sure you do, little brother. I'm sure that the temptation of pressing flesh with your inferior human mate is much more important than the needs of our clan. My dear brother, my presense here is about more than just a confrontation. I have decided that today is the day to end this useless carade once and for all." he said.  
  
"And what charade would that be?" I growled.  
  
It was then that my brother allowed himseld to become known, appearing from the mist with his demon slave in tow.  
  
"If you weren't so blindly ignorant of your own inadaquaties, you would have already fiqured it out. Even my mindless companion could have done so." he said.  
  
"That I have, lord Sesshoumaru. You intend to inform Lord Inuyasha of the reason his pendent and his lover's jewel began to manifest their power unprovoked." Toshshyl said.  
  
His master smiled. "Yes. You see, dear brother, even a creature like Toshshyl can fiqure out a complicated situation such as this. The reason is simple. There had to be a creator for the prayer beads in which you wear, someone with great power and the desire to control another's actions. You lack this power along with many others, Inuyasha, yet I do not." he said.  
  
"Are you trying to tell me that you created Kaede's prayer beads? If this is so, then that still doesn't explain why the jewel is glowing." I said.  
  
"It is true. I created your beads for the reasons they are being used, but they had found their way from my hands to Kikyo's sister somehow. It is unimportant now. What is important is that I have come here today to end your life and destroy the jewel once and for all." he said.  
  
"Now wait just a minute! Let me get this straight. You created Inuyasha's prayer beads just to enslave him to you, you want to destroy the jewel and your brother as well? I don't understand of this; why would you want to do such things?" Kagome said.  
  
"Again you prove yourself undeserving to call yourself even a half demon if you cannot even control your human mate's actions. I guess I shall have to dispose of her first then." he said.  
  
Raising my sword before me, I stood between my brother and Kagome.  
  
"You will harm Kagome over my dead body." I told him.  
  
Sesshoumaru smiled. "Well, it seems like you have made your decision and I have made mine." he said.  
  
I turned to Kagome then and forced her to look at me.  
  
"Kagome, I don't know what's going ot happen in this battle, but I want you to be safe. Please hide somewhere until I come to find you. I love you, Kagome." I said.  
  
"I love you too, Inuyasha." she said. 


	9. the brothers final battle

For once, she actually obeyed me instead of the other way around, leaving me alone to confront my past once and for all. He wasted no time in pulling out his celestial whip, slashing at me mercilessly with it. I shielded myself with the sword, thankfully holding my own against him.  
  
"After all this time, I would think you would fight me with honor, without weapons, just you and I one on one." I told him.  
  
He smiled, dropping his weapon to the ground. "I am willing to agree to your conditions to shed your life's blood this day, dear brother." he said.  
  
"It'll take much more powerful demons than you to take me down, Sesshoumaru. All you've proven so far is that you have a big mouth and no follow through." I said  
  
"And all you're doing is delaying the inevitable. I'm ready when you are." he said. My brother and I lunged towards each other, claws bared, determined to get a good, clean blow on each other.  
  
I could tell that Kagome had no hid too far away and if I allowed my attention to venture beyond my brother's attacks, I knew he would find a way to harm her. Yet that ws exactly what Sesshoumaru's partner was focusing on, was finding her and fulfulling his master's duty.  
  
It was not easy to fend off my brother's attacks, but I was definitely holding my own against him. He seemed very frustrated that I was able to do so and lashed out at me angrily, determined to injure me with his good arms that had the poisionous claws.  
  
I stopped his attack with my sword, and pushed him far enough away that I was able to take a moment to make sure Kagome was safe.  
  
What I found was Kagome facing down Toshshyl, her crossbow in hand and down to aim itself directly at his heart if he dared to come even closer.  
  
"I am not afraid of you, human, I could kill you several times before you could strike with your weapon." he told her.  
  
"Try me." she taunted.  
  
Before he could do so, I jumped between them, my sword's blade inches from his face." You may not be scared fo her, but you better be scared of me, little demon." I told him.  
  
"My master has informed me of your rather meager abilities, and neither he or I see you as a threat to us, Lord Inuyasha." Toshshyl said.  
  
I smirked then. "Kagome has taught me it is not right to kill in cold blood, but I think in this situation, I can make an exception." I said.  
  
I raised my sword to deliver the blow just before Kagome asked me to stop. Toshshyl laughed.  
  
"I knew you were too weak." he told me. Kagome smiled. "I only called him off so I could finish the job myself." she said.  
  
My eyes widened as I heard Toshshyl gasp. "Kagome..." I whispered.  
  
My mouth fell open in surprise as I watched her finish off the small demon with one shot, shocked by what she had done.  
  
"I can't believe I killed that awful creature." she said.  
  
"You did what you had to do, Kagome. It was his life or yours. Believe me, you definitely made the right decision." I said. " Why am I not surprised to see the two of you here together? Decided to get a final session with your foul human before I finished you off?" Sesshoumaru asked.  
  
"You can insult me all you like, Sesshoumaru, I honestly could care less about your insults towards me personally, but Kagome... I refuse to listen to you insult her as well. She is not a foul, unworthy human, but the woman I love and have chosen as my mate. With her by my side, we will take over my destined role as leader of our clan as husband and wife." I told him.  
  
Sesshourmaru laughed. " Does this creature not a voice of it's own? Let her speak for herself if all this is true." he said. Out of my seflishness, I had not allowed Kagome to speak, to express her feelings, to agree or disagree with my words. I had assumed that she felt the same way that I did and I felt guilty for that now. I watched Kagome protectively as she stepped up from behind me to face my full demon brother.  
  
"Everything that Inuyasha has told you is true. I trust him completely, heart and soul, and I will do everyhting in my power to make sure he is happy." she said.  
  
"Very well. If all of this is true and you believe you are strong to lead our clan with him, then prove yourself by defeating me." he told her.  
  
"I cannot do that; I have no powers of my own." she said.  
  
"That is where you are wrong. Your powers are the reasons my brother chose you. You are the reincarnation if the late priestess Kikyo. she was never any match for me, so I doubt that our battle will end in your favor." Sesshoumaru said.  
  
"Then what is the point of her fighting you then...Kagome?" I asked, as she raised her hand to silence me.  
  
"I accept your challenge." she said.  
  
Somehow, I just knew that everything would be okay as both she and Sesshoumaru raised their hands before each other. I watched as my brother began to chant a spell, one that was familiar to me, one that a demon used to call out the power of the Shikon jewel that Kagome wore.  
  
She shouted out loud as the jewel activated once again, it's massive power forcing her down to her knees, unable to stand.  
  
"Kagome!" I shouted.  
  
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and I couldn't stand it any longer.  
  
"Inuyasha..." she whispered.  
  
Before I could rush to her side to help her, she had forced herself to stand, looking down at the jewel. She turned to me, the power of the jewel clouding her eyes.  
  
"Kagome...what are you doing?" I asked.  
  
"By the power of the Shikon jewel, the sacred jewel of four souls, I command the powers that to be to remove this half demon Inuyasha from his bewitched imprisionment!!" Kagome shouted.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. "What?! This can't be possible!!" he exclaimed, as he watched the beads fall harmlessly to the ground.  
  
I smiled as I felt my full power return to me with the absense of the prayer beads. I joined Kagome by her side, seeing in her eyes that she finally trusted me to touch the sacred jewel, to share it's power with her.  
  
"Kagome...you realize that if I use the jewel's power to become a full demon, that i'll never be able to return to my normal self again. Could you still love me if that happens?" I asked.  
  
"I love you no matter what, Inuyasha. That's all that matters to me." she told me.  
  
That was all I needed to hear as both she and I folded our hands together over the sacred jewel. I could feel it's power as it exploded all around us, feeling my eyes turn a bloody crimson red and my claws and teeth length like a demon possessed.  
  
This is what I had been waiting on for fifty years, to finally become a full demon, and I had no doubts about my decision as I looked into my lady love's eyes.  
  
"Sesshoumaru...this ends now." I said.  
  
Taking my sword in hand, I swept into the air as I allowed my full demon to consume the blade, showing me the way to go...my older brother's shout was the sound I heard before all suddenly became quiet.  
  
It was over; I had not seen my brother die, but somehow I knew it was so. I rose to my full height to return to Kagome's side, the sight of what my blade had done as evidence of my deed.  
  
"Inuyasha, I am so sorry. I know this was the last thing you ever wanted to do, to end the life of someone close to you." she said.  
  
"He and I were never truly brothers. We hated each other from day one. It was my destiny to do what I have done, just as my father slayed his older brother as well." I told her.  
  
Kagome sighed and embraced me, shaking a little in her fear.  
  
"So now you are the head of your demon wolf clan...now what happens?" she asked.  
  
I placed my hand underneath her chin to raise her head to face mine. I smiled at her then and stroked her cheek softly.  
  
"What happens now is whatever you and I choose to happen, Kagome. As husband and wife, we can lead our clan together." I said.  
  
She smiled too. "There's nothing I want more, Inuyasha, than to be with you and to be your mate." she said.  
  
As I leaned down to close the space between us, as I felt the softness of Kagome's lips against mine, I knew as well and somehow had always known this was all I had ever wanted as well....  
  
THE END  
  
  
  
Author's note-I hope you liked my ending and the whole story really. Please leave me a review and email if you like too! Thanks in advance! Charlottlette 


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